Skyline Exhibition Private View

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Things may have gone quiet over the summer, but the University of Kent has been busy working behind the scenes to grow the Skyline project even more.

We were delighted to welcome over forty guests to a private viewing of a new exhibition at Brompton Academy on Thursday 19th September.

The exhibition is the latest in a series of community focused events and activities which have taken place as part of the project, and which will culminate in the creation of a permanent and large scale sculpture in the grounds of Brompton Academy.

Guests were treated to a display of several fascinating and beautiful pieces of sculpture created by artists and families involved in the project. The Partnership Development Office also took the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the winning entries to the Skyline Art and Creative Writing Competition which ran during June 2013.

Sam Holland, the local artist commissioned to produce the finished sculpture, was on hand at the viewing to discuss how her design will be inspired by the local students and members of the community who have taken part in assemblies, workshops, evening classes and family days.

All those involved in the project are now eagerly awaiting the maquettes, or small scale mock ups of potential designs, which Sam will create over the coming months.

Family Art Day At The Historic Dockyard

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As part of the growing Skyline Project, Medway based families were invited to the Historic Dockyard to take part in an exciting art based event, led by our resident sculptor Sam Holland.

Lucy Rutter from the University of Kent said the following about the event:

“Recent Skyline projects have included the Family Art Day at the Historic Dockyard, run by the artist Sam Holland. Parents and their children started off by learning how to make a figure out of clay. A sunny tour of the dockyard enabled them to do some amazing sketchbook drawings of the boats, the astonishing machinery and the original buildings, and get ideas for their sculpture. Meeting some current students and seeing their work also sparked off some thoughts. They put their ideas together and came up with some ambitious plans.

After a picnic lunch, the families worked together, using recycled materials, to make these brilliant sculptures which reflect the fascinating shapes and materials on the site. Fun was had by all, and everyone was very proud of their work.”

Have a scroll through our gallery from the event below.

Skyline At Brompton-Westbrook Primary School

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The University of Kent recently visited Brompton-Westbrook Primary School. Here they were given the opportunity to work with members of staff heavily involved in the Skyline Project to create their own pieces of art. Ideas developed by the students will be used to influence Sam Holland when designing the final sculpture for Brompton Academy, alongside the winning entries to the Skyline Art and Creative Writing Competition.

Oliver Allen, the Upper Key Stage Two Lead at Brompton Westbrook Primary School had the following to say:

“The children all thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the project. The quality of the artwork they produced was of a very high quality. It was great that the clay was supplied through the project and then left with the children; this allowed them to paint their artwork after the event.”

The University also worked with students from nearby Skinner Street Primary School. For more photos from both events please see our brand new gallery.

Sam Holland Unveils New Sculpture

Sam Holland, the sculptor scheduled to create the final piece of art culminating from the Skyline project, has recently unveiled her brand new statue depicting the former Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift.

Sam and the Bishop SML

The sculpture, seen above, follows the creation of statues portraying William McGregor, Nick Day and Dic Evans among others. Whitgift became the Chaplin to and favourite of Queen Elizabeth I, in addition to founding the Whitgift School and the Holy Trinity Hospital in Croydon.

Skyline Moves Into Primary Schools

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Skyline has moved into the primary schools.  Plus for the first time our sculptor has been involved.  Sam Holland, Students Ambassadors from the University of Kent, Lucy and Jane from the Partnership Development Office have been involved in clay modelling and creative writing workshops at Skinner Street Primary School and Brompton-Westbrook Primary School in Gillingham.

The pupils made clay models and wrote short descriptive passages inspired by the words shown in the above montage.  Their work will be collected and stored at the university when dry, and displayed in exhibitions about the project.

The art and creative writing competition is now open and entrants are requested to use the same words in the work they produce.  The montage was produced by The People’s Panel who have had a preliminary meeting and are due to meet next month to plan the next steps of the project.

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Skyline Competition Launches

Sam HollandThe exciting Skyline Art and Creative Writing Competition is now live!

Members of the Medway community now have the opportunity to directly influence the design of the future Sam Holland sculpture. The sculpture will be displayed on the new Brompton Academy site, and visible from the Great Lines Park.

Applicants can either offer a piece or art, a piece of creative writing, or both. A panel made up of key figures in the Medway community will then choose the best of these across three catagories; primary age, secondary age and adult. The winning pieces of writing and art will form the basis of the public sculpture, and be displayed at a travelling exhibition.

Application packs can be collected from the following locations:

  • Royal Engineers Museum – Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME4 4UG
  • Rainham Library – Birling Avenue, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 7LR
  • Gillingham Library – High Street, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1BG
  • Chatham Library – Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4TX
  • University of Kent – Medway Building, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4AG
  • Sunlight Centre – 105 Richmond Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1LX
  • Brompton Academy – Marlborough Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5HT
  • Medway Maritime Hospital – Windmill Road, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5NY

For full details, terms and conditions click here.

Skyline In The Press

Skyline 2013 101An extensive article about the Skyline Project recently featured in the Medway Messenger.

The article can be viewed here.

Following the completion of the installation at Brompton Academy (seen above), the project now moves towards the art competition. Through this, the local community can influence the final design of the final sculpture.

We will be tracking entries on the website shortly.

 

Scott: The Brompton Academy Assemblies

“In Brompton Academy’s new school that’s going to be built, there is going to be a statue made by Sam Holland (a British sculpture maker). We don’t know what it is going to be because people are putting in designs and the best one will be put on the new site.

In Brompton Academy we also created a school sculpture which I thought turned out really well. It sort of looked like a secret base on an island. The sculpture couldn’t be done without the University of Kent so thank you.”

Scott

Brompton Academy, Year 8 Student

Gallery: Sculptures by Sam Holland

Here are photos of two sculptures by Sam Holland, who will be designing and creating the overall sculpture to be placed at the brand new Brompton Academy site.

‘The Mariners’ is a community funded sculpture based on St Mary’s Island in Chatham, Kent. The piece is created from a combination of bronze, concrete and stainless steel.

The ‘Royal National Lifeboat Institution Memorial Sculpture’ depicting a dramatic rescue and commemorating the sacrifice of thousands of lives, is situated on the grounds of the RNLI Headquarters in Poole.

Jane Anderson: The Skyline Project

“Great news!

We have had confirmation that we will be receiving a grant from the Ministry of Defence towards the project costs.  This will enable us to do the practical workshops as the project progresses and produce a transient exhibition. This will showcase the 2D and 3D artwork produced as well as writings and art inspired by the local heritage around Gillingham, Chatham and Rochester.

Researching  for this project has made me look more closely into the history of the area. 

Before researching I did know that Will Adams – the inspiration for the character of John Blackthorne in James Clavell’s bestselling novel Shôgun – had come from Gillingham. I had also taken my 3 children to the rope making factory 20 years ago. We then walked up to the War Memorial  (seen in the film Last Orders with Michael Cane, Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren, David Hemmings  and Ray Winston). 

War Memorial

I did not however really know anything about the Great Lines of Defence. I had not been down to the fabulous Historic Dockyard to have a good look round,  nor walked through the Heritage Park or been into the Royal Engineers Museum.

I have also now been into Gillingham library for the first time. I am very impressed with the IT facilities and refurbishments going on.  We will be making use of the library, dockyard and many more local places in this long term project.

Anyone wanting to see some of Sam Holland’s (the sculptor who will be making the final piece) work can look on her website. The sculpture she did for the millennium is placed in St Mary’s Island.”

Jane Anderson

Partnership Development Office, University of Kent